


Envy

by universalworst



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Gen, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 06:32:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4294380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/universalworst/pseuds/universalworst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Theon Greyjoy learns a lesson from a bastard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Envy

Theon Greyjoy was an arrogant, smirking brat, and he'd just come to blows with Lord Stark's bastard again as a result.  
  
"I'll wipe that dirty smirk from your face, you stinking coward!" the black-haired boy roared, running at Theon with fists clenched and teeth bared.  
  
Theon, nimble-footed and bigger than the other boy, remained on the defensive at first, darting out of Jon's reach and grinning all the while. When the Jon Snow began to grow weary, the Greyjoy went in for the attack, landing a solid blow to the bastard's cheek. He laughed as Jon staggered back.  
  
"Lousy fight, Snow," he sneered, holding up his arms defensively as Jon raged back at him with a volley of fast but not-so-hard punches. Grabbing Jon by the hair, the Greyjoy took him to the ground. After a short bout of wrestling in the dirt, Theon pinned both his arms down. "Bet your whore mother is more fun to wrestle with."  
  
"Don't you dare speak about my mother, Greyjoy." Jon spat in his face, and as Theon raised an arm to hit him again, a stern voice commanded, " _Enough._ "  
  
Even the Greyjoy's smile faded slightly as the two boys scrambled to their feet. "Lord Stark," Theon said with a nod.  
  
Eddard Stark gave his ward a disapproving stare, and Theon's smile faded a bit more.  
  
At thirteen years of age, Theon had been a ward of the Starks for long enough that he felt at home at Winterfell, among its people. Well, to a certain extent. There were always folks who looked at him queerly, who thought him suspicious, who didn't trust his smile. ' _Fine, let them,_ ' he told himself. ' _I'm the Prince of the Iron Islands. I don't need their trust._ '  
  
Ned Stark's expression of nearly parental disappointment, though, was another matter entirely. Theon felt a soreness in his gut, and as much as he wanted to lower his eyes, he forced himself to look Eddard in the eye.  
  
"You should be ashamed," Lord Stark said quietly. "You are thirteen. You should know better than to beat a child."  
  
"He called me an arse."  
  
"He _is_ an arse," Jon muttered, nursing his cheekbone and a slowly swelling lip.  
  
"Theon, go and find Maester Luwin. Tell him Jon needs to see him."  
  
"Yes, my lord," Theon sighed. He jogged off a bit, then smirked back at Jon, who staunchly refused to acknowledge him. ' _Ignoring me now? Fine. I won't get Maester Luwin. Let the bastard bleed._ '  
  
As Theon walked off, he slowed, listening to the conversation unfold.  
  
"He was saying things about my mother."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I hate him."  
  
"You shouldn't say such things. You ought to be like brothers. Robb gets along well with the both of you."  
  
"I'm not Robb, and neither is Theon."  
  
Sitting down behind a stone wall, Theon exhaled. _Stupid bastard ought to learn his place_.  
  
"He thinks he's better than me because he's a Greyjoy and I'm a Snow," Jon was saying.  
  
' _No,_ ' Theon thought to himself vindictively. ' _I think I'm better than you because I'm a Greyjoy and you're not._ ' He began stabbing the ground rhythmically with a stick.  
  
"Many people will look down on you because you have no name, Jon," Lord Stark said. "But many will learn to respect you in spite of it, because you have the blood of the first men running through your veins, and honor in your heart."  
  
"I'm still a Snow."  
  
"Yes, Jon. But above all else, you are my son."  
  
Theon felt his blood run cold. Glancing over the wall, the petulant little ward saw Lord Stark grasping Jon's shoulder, and Jon looking back up at him, face flushed with pride.  
  
Theon Greyjoy learned the meaning of envy in that moment, and he learned it from a bastard.


End file.
